Shaft-coupling.



E. FUCHS.

SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUGl311 1915.

1,235, 1 96. Patented July 31, 1917.

i] N T TED STATES PATENT QFFTQE,

ERNEST FUCHS, OF BILLANCOURT, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 LOUIS RENAULT, OFBILLANCOURT, FRANCE.

SHAFT-COUPLING.

Application filed August 31, 1915. Serial No. 48,354.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennns'r Focus, a citizen of the French Republic,residing at Billancourt, Department of the Seine, in France, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaf -Couplings; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a mechanical device for automaticallycontrolling the lead of the ignition for all conditions of operation ofthe engine.

It has been particularly sought to obtain in the present invention, adevice in which the angular displacement of the engine shaft relativelyto that of the magneto can be controlled by masses adapted to move awayfrom the center only to a comparatively small extent, so as to reducethe variations produced by centrifugal action. The displacements of anumber of similar masses are totalized in the invention in such a manneras to obtain a resulting angular displacement equal to the sum or therespective angular displacements of each mass.

Similar devices have already been proposed, comprising masses formedwith grooves or slots adapted to be engaged by pins, thereby forming acontinuous chain in such a manner that the displacements obtained foreach mass are totalized. These devices have the disadvantage, however,of being complex from the constructional point of view on account of thedifiiculties presented in forming the grooves or slots in the masses.

The present invention makes use of a device comprising movable massesconstituting a chain the elements of which bear one on the other throughthe medium of rollers. the curvature of each mass being determined insuch a manner that it is possible to give the angle of lead the desiredvalue.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, a plurality ofconstructional forms of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates the automatic con trolling apparatus, the platecontrolling the magneto being removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a modification, the plate controlling the magneto beingremoved;

Patented July 31, 1917.

Fig. 4c is a vertical section through Fig. 3;

The constructional form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a seriesof weights 1, 2 9 guided by means of axes 10 in circular grooves 11formed in two plates 12, 13 relatively movable.

The plate 13 is integral with the engine shaft while the plate 12 ismounted on the magneto shaft.

Each weight is provided with a roller 14; which bears on the back of thepreceding weight, the curvature of which is designed with a view togiving the angle of lead the desired magnitude.

The first weight 1 bears on, or rather is pushed by a pin 15 secured onthe driving plate 13.

The last weight 9 has no roller, but is pivoted on an axis 16 secured onthe plate 11 controlling the magneto. Under the action of thecentrifugal force, the weights 1, 2, etc., tend to rotate around theaxes of their rollers; the eiiect of this tendency is to increase thedistance between two consecutive rollers and elongate the whole of thechain.

A coiled spring 17 secured at 18 on the driving member, and at 19 on thedriven member, tends to bring the latter into a lagging position.

By giving the backs of the weights 1, 2, etc., a suitable curvature, theangle of lead may be varied according to a law determined in regard tothe speed.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate an apparatus constructed in a similar manner tothat shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but in this case the weights 1, 2 9 and 1,2 9 are separated in two distinct chains or series, arrangedsymmetrically with respect to each other, and to the center of rotation,for the purpose of dynamically equilibrating the apparatus, their axesbeing designated 10 and 10 respectively, and each weight having a roller14 or 14. In this modification two pins 15 and 15 are provided, bearingrespectively on weights 1 and 1.

The two apparatus described hereinbefore, have the advantage of havingweights which vary very little the distance from their center of gravityto the center of rotation. In this manner a more regular and less suddenvariation of the centrifugal force is obtained than with devicesemployed heretofore in which balls move appreciably with respect to thecenter of rotation.

It is obvious that modification may be made in the apparatus describedhereinbefore, for instance, the coiled springs may, in particular, bereplaced by a single spiral spring.

hat I claim is 1. A combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaftof a coupling device interposed between the two and comprising acircular series of pivotally and slidably mounted weights serving totransmit motion from the driving shaft to the driven shaft, each of saidweights having a roller bearing upon the adjacent weight, and thesurface of each weight upon which a roller bears be ing curved to efiectan elongation of the series ofweights when they are thrown outwardly bycentrifugal force, and means whereby such elongation of the series, ofweights displaces the shafts angularly with respect to each other.

2. A combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft of a couplingdevice interposed between the two and comprising two series of pivotallyand slidably mounted weights serving to transmit motion from the drivingshaft to the driven shaft, each of the weights of each series having aroller bearing upon the adjacent weight, and the surface of each weightupon which a roller bears being curved to effect an elongation of bothseries of weights when the same are thrown outwardly by centrifugalforce and means whereby the elongation of the series of weightsdisplaces the shafts angularly with respect to each other.

3. A combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft of a couplingdevice interposed between the two and comprising a plate secured to thedriving shaft and a plate secured to the driven shaft, a series ofweights serving to transmit motion from the first namedplate to thesecond, the adjacent faces of said plates being provided with circularrecesses, a pin upon which each of said weights is mounted, theextremities of each of said pins being guided in said recesses, a rollerassociated with each of said weights and bearing upon the adjacentweight, the surface 'of each weight upon which a roller bears beingcurved to effect an elongation of the series of weights, when the sameare thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, and means whereby suchelongation of-the series of weights displaces the shafts angularly withrespect to eachother.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.i

' ERNEST FUCHS. \Vitnesses:

GHAs. P. PREssLY, HENRI COHEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D G.

